It was beautiful afternoon climb after reaching Rif. Gnifetti. Sunny weather with cumulus clouds for decoration. On the Lys glacier there are many exposed crevasses due to the lack of snow. Some are over 30m deep and we walked over narrow snowy bridges to cross them, very exciting stuff. But since weather was warm and bridges soft we had to secure each other on some of the more exposed crosses. Just two days after Piz Bernina I had very tired legs so summit pyramid wasn't very enjoyable. View from the summit was fantastic as I watched Mont Blanc in the distance, on the same date we climbed it last year. Both on the way up and down we witnessed some amazing rock falls, especially on Lyskamm! Also while we were standing on the summit there was thundering rock fall down the south face of Parrot Spitze. Imagine tons of rock falling down the 800m high face.

It is amazing: hundreds of people are walking up the glacier from Rif. Gnifetti in the morning. No one execpt us three climbed Punta Giordani (4046 m, it is the E-shoulder of Pir. Vincent and sometimes - falsely - considered to be an own summit). We climbed the SW ridge of Pir.Vincent up to 3800 m, crossed the flank (some loose rocks) down to Indren glacier and on that with crampons we climbed P. Giordani. The ridge from there to Pir. Vincent was more difficult than described, some parts are surely UIAA III and we had to belay. So I would rate this at least with G4 at the Munter scale.

We started from the highest parking lot of Gressoney valley with heavy backpacks. Camped approx. at 2700m. Next day we had a bad weather so decided to stay at Mantova hut. On the third day we estabilished a camp next the rock above Gnifetti hut, and climbed Vincent. Due to the lack of training, and the altitude I sufferded from AMS, so finally this summit was the only achivement of our plans to climb some 4000s in the area.

Route Climbed: from Ref Manatova and back Date Climbed: 24th August 2002

the weather wasnt very good we made the summit in a white-out. and returned to the Manatova Hut. we spent the next 2 days sitting around waiting for the weather to clear. the hut warden informed us that it would clear on the wednesday for one day. we returned to Alagna. the other Peaks will wait. i'll be back in 2004, i'll hope for good weather then.

From Rifugio Quintino-Sella we traverse the Ghiacciaio del Felik in north eastern direction, keeping the rockwall just below the Felikjoch at our left. We then arrive at the Ghiacciaio del Lis, where we climb just far enough until we can continue on the big plateau to the east. At the base of the Naso del Liskamm then, we start to climb, staying on the right side where it is less steep, until we reach the summit.

We descend again to the glacierplateau (4000 m) and walk to the Colle Vincent (4087 m). It's up and down the mountain, part of it doggy style, and particularly on the way down I've got to watch out for Jeroen's enthusiastically flying feet (with crampons) not hitting my skull...

Little more than a snow plod but worth it for the great views. Walked up from the Gnifetti Hut which was quite comfortable. We chose to climb in this area because of poor weather in Chamonix. Took a great picture of Lyskam from the top.

"Got tight last night on absinthe and did knife tricks. Great success shooting the knife into the piano. The woodworms are so bad and eat hell out of all furniture that you can always claim the woodworms did it."
--Ernest Hemingway